USrapperKendrick Lamarhas been awarded aPulitzer Prize in Musicfor his critically acclaimed albumDAMN.Lamar became the first non-classical or jazz musician to ever win the prize, noted.
Lamar has topped the charts with music that tackles issues of race, politics, religion and even mental health, . The Pulitzer follows the five Grammy Awards won by Lamar in January for DAMN,his fourth studio album. His previous album, To Pimp a Butterfly,also won five Grammys. Lamar recently produced and curated the soundtrack for the Black Pantherfilm to critical acclaim.
The Pulitzer Prizes called the album “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”
Lamar is also thefirst Pulitzer-winning musicianwho has had aNo. 1 album or gone platinum. TeleSUR English said Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, Bruce Springsteen and Carole King were given special citations.
DAMNwas nominated in several categories at the 2018 Grammy awards. The album won Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song (“HUMBLE.”), Best Rap Performance (“HUMBLE.”), Best Music Video (“HUMBLE.”) and Best Rap/Sung Performance (“LOYALTY.” ft. Rihanna).
Kendrick Lamar gave an enigmatic performance at the Grammy ceremony, accompanied by dancers dressed in army fatigue. The thought-provoking set prompted comedian Dave Chappelle to comment:“Hi, I’m Dave Chappelle and I just wanted to remind the audience that the only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America. Sorry for the interruption.”
Democracy Now! spoke tohip-hop educator Brian Mooney,a New Jersey high school teacher who uses Lamar's music inhis lessons. AfterLamar learned Mooney was teaching theTo Pimp a Butterflyalbum to his students in 2015, Kendrick visited Mooney’s class in New Jersey. You can watch the interview below.